Traveling crane



Dec. 15, 1936. F FlTcH Y 2,063,911

TRAVELING CRANE Filed May 24, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 15, 1936.

B. F. FITCH TRAVELING CRANE Filed May 24, 1934 4 SheetS-Sheet 2 D@ 15, 1936. B, :R FITCH 2,063,911

TRAVELING CRANE Filed May 24, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 l 171%, a, @Www/WW1 Dec. 15, 1936. B F, TCH 2,063,911

TRAVELING CRANE Filed Maj 24, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /V Z Moro/ a l MOTORS 1&2 l 7 I ON 1 @E V 9 l L n g gmc/wm 33 76M, @dL/7M FW@ Elmo/ww.

Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAVELING CRANE Application May 24, 1934, Serial No. 727,320

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a traveling crane having four depending cables adapted to suspend a load at four spaced points, raise it and transport it, and particularly such a crane combined with means for laterally shifting two of the cables relative to the other two. Such a. mechanism is very useful in transferring demountable bodies from one vehicle to another, as it enables substantially vertical cables to readily be engaged to a demountable body standing obliquely to the crane support. The invention enables the body to be lowered directly into engagement with a truck fra-me, for instance, or raised vertically therefrom, though the frames be at somewhat of an oblique angle to the normal position of the cables.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a hoisting and trolleying mechanism which shall be light in construction and comparatively cheap in manufacture and still shall have ample strength and capacity for the work required. I accomplish this by employing two frames directly supported by the crane trackways and connected by a comparatively light bridge, each of the frames carrying a substantially standard driving axle construction similar to those of automobile trucks but with cable drums in place of the usual automobile Wheels and with the differential blocked to prevent independent movement of the axle sections. A motor is mounted on the bridge and drivingly connected with each of the blocked differentials.

Another object of the invention is to so connect the bridge with one of the dual trolley hoists that a limited independent movement is possible to enable the four cables to depend at points of a parallelogram other than a rectangle. This shiftingoperation, which I call weaving, enables the vertical cooperation of the depending cables with a demountable body on a truck out of accurate alignment with the normal position of the hoist mechanism.

My invention is illustrated in the drawings hereof, is hereinafter more fully explained in connection therewith, and the essential novel characteristics are set out in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan partly broken away of a traveling crane embodying my invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections thereof on the lines 2-2 and 3--3 respectively in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an end view partially in section; Figs. 5 and 6 are Vertical sections on the planes indicated by the lines -5 and 6-6 on Fig. 4 but on a materially larger scale; Fig. '7 is a horizontal section on the plane indicated by the line 'I-'I on Fig. 4 but on a larger scale; Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic end elevation illustrating the hoisting mechanism in the act of raising a demountable body from a highway truck; Figs. 9 and 10 are diagrams illustrating a barrel controller which 5 might be employed to control the propelling motors for trolleying and weaving, Fig. 9 being a plan of the controller, and Fig. 10 a diagram of the circuits.

In the drawings, Ill and II indicate a pair of 10 parallel supporting rails shown as of I-beam form. These rails may be carried in any suitable manner, as suspended from a stationary structure or at the top of a gantry. Directly beneath each rail and parallel therewith is a horil5 zcntal channel-shaped beam I2 with its flanges facing downwardly, which forms the main frame for the dual hoist associated with that rail. Rigidly secured to the channel beam are standards I3 which extend upwardly from its opposite sides and rotatably carry studs on which are secured wheels 2I which ride on the lower anges of the I-beam rails.

As illustrated more particularly in Fig. 6, each standard I3 comprises an angle piece I4 riveted 25 or welded to the upper face of the channel web, an outer vertical plate I5 and intermediate vertical filler pieces I5, all secured together, as by bolts and nuts Il. rlhe two spaced members I4 and I5 provide ready means for supporting a pair 30 of ball bearings I9, Fig. 6, in which the rotary shaft 29 is journalled.

Secured to the side flanges of each channel beam I2 and depending therefrom are brackets 3i) (Fig. 4) which are provided with bottom caps 35 3l and bolts 32 by which they embrace and support the housing 4G of the automobile-like driving mechanism. Suitably mounted in each housing are a pair of aligned shafts, one of which is shown at 42 in Fig, '7. These shafts at their 40 adjacent ends are rigidly connected with a suitable gear as for instance a bevel gear 45, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. l), with which meshes a bevel pinion 46 on a driving shaft 41, though a Worm and worm wheel may be employed in place of the bevel pinion and bevel gear if desired. In either case this reduction gearing is mounted in a central enlargement 4I of the housing.

Rotatably mounted on the end portionsof the housing 4U are sleeves 50 (Figs. 4 and 7), sup- 50 ported by roller bearings 5I between the sleeve and the housing. The end of the sleeve is connected to a head 49 on the driving shaft 42, all after the manner of automobile construction.

The driven sleeve 50 has an external annular 5U flange 5S which is bolted to a iiange |53 on a cup 6G, which extends over the end of the driving axle and terminates in a coupling Gi., which is connected to a short shaft 65. This shaft 65 is supported in suitable bearings carried by standards 65 secured to the channel beam I2 and depending therefrom. Between these standards a cable drum lil is rigidly mounted on the shaft 55. A lifting cable TI is attached to the drum and makes several turns about it and depends therefrom either directly to the load or to a cradle which may be attached to the load, as desired.

The construction described provides a dual hoist adapted to raise two cables 'H in unison whenever the driving shaft 4l', journalled in the central portion of the housing, is rotated.

The two dual hoists, as so far described, are identical, though they differ in their connection with the intermediate bridge, which extends from one dual hoist to the other, and is rigidly connected with one and movably with the other. This bridge, which may be of light construction as it does not carry any of the load to be lifted, as Shown in Figs. l and 2, comprises a pair of side members Bil, extending nearly from one crane trackway to the other, a cross-beam 8| connected to such side mem iers near one end, and a pair of intermediate cross beams 82. At the opposite end of the bridge from the cross beam SI the members 8B are connected rigidly to the channel beam of the dual hoist at that end. I have shown gussets 8E connected to the channel beams and also to the bridge beams 80. This rigidly supports the bridge at this end and no cross beam corresponding to the beam 8| is necessary. The bridge is preferably also braced by diagonal bars 8l' leading inwardly from the four corners to the transverse beams Si? adjacent their centers, as indicated in Figs. l and 2.

At the end of the bridge where the cross beam 3| is located, I secure to the end of each side bar SQ a suitably journalled wheel 90, which rests on a plate 9i secured to the channel beam i 2 at that side. The wheels Si) are adapted to travel on the plates 9i for a distance limited by the standards which carry the supporting wheels, and this provides for the weaving operation hereinafter explained.

To operate the two shafts il?, the rotation oi' which will turn the four drums and actuate the four cables, I provide a suitable motor ISG supported by the transverse bridge beams 532, having its armature connected to a worm ISI (shown in dotted lines in Fig. l), which meshes with a worm wheel beneath it, shown at |82 in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and contained within a casing |533. This worm wheel is on a shaft |013 journalled in the casing, and extending in each direction therefrom. On the side where the bridge is rigidly attached to the dual hoist, the shaft IB@ is connected by a coupling 55 to a shaft i536, which latter is connected by a coupling Eal' to the shaft 4'! within the housing portion fil. On the other side, the shaft idd is connected by a universal joint HG to a shaft iii, which has a telescopic connection with an aligned shaft I i2, which latter is connected by a universal joint |I3 to the shaft 4l, at that side of the crane. The universal end telescoping connection described enables the motor Idil to drive the reduction gearing on the side which shifts relative to the bridge.

To move each dual hoist a motor is mounted thereon geared with one pair of supporting wheels. Thus, as shown in Figs. l, 4, and 5, the motor li is rigidly secured to the underside of the channel beam I2 near its end. On the armature shaft I2! of this motor is a worm (not specifically shown) which meshes with a worm wheel, indicated in dotted lines at |22 in Fig. 5 and rigid on a shaft 23, which has bearings in a casing |24 surrounding the worm wheel and worm and furnishing means for attachment of the motor to the hoist ira-me I2. Rigid on the shaft |23 are pinions |25 which mesh with idlers |26, which in turn mesh with gears |27, which are rigid on shafts i253 carrying wheels |29, which rest on the lower iiange of the supporting rail I0 or I I.

The idler and driven gears just described are carried by suitable standards secured to the frame and channel beam I2. Like the standard I3 heretofore described, this standard comprises an angle piece |39, secured to the channel beam, spaced iiller pieces i3| secured to the upright iiange of the angie piece, and an external plate i242 secured to the filler piece. The gears |26 and i2`i lie within the space between the two filler strips I 3| The intermediate gear |26 is shown as carried by a stud |35 mounted in the external plate |32. The upright ange of the angle piece |35 and the vertical plate |32 carry suitable ball bearings |37 in which the shaft |28 is rotatably journalled.

rIhe construction described enables the motor |20 to drive the wheels |29 through suitable reduction gearing. The weight of the motor, (plus rtion of the load on the adjacent cable the crane is loaded) insures a tractive ennent of the wheels |29 with the lower ange hoist eiectively.

ien the crane is to be trolleyed for a material nce, either with or without a load supported .ereby, the two motors |20 (which I have designated No. l and No. 2 in Fig. l) are preferably operated in unison in one direction or the other according to the direction of travel desired. When, however, it is desired to shift the cables at one end with reference to those at the other, to enable ready cooperation with a body out of exact registration, the motor No. l, on the hoist carryi the plates I, is operated alone, and this shifts the dual hoist associated with those plates, with reference to the bridge and the other hoist.

The weaving operation just described, which is limited by the distance which the wheels .y travel between the frame standards, enables e depending cables to be brought into accurate stration with a body somewhat out of parallelwith the bridge, but does not interfere with tno general trolleying of the crane by its two motors, or with the raising or lowering of the load by the motor |05.

is heretofore stated, the cables 'II may dedirectly to the load or to a cradle which en ages the load. As illustrated in Fig. 3, I have ded a cradle I-l in the form of a rectangular lrarne having sheaves i132 about which the cables pass in bights, the free ends 'I2 of the cables being attached to the dual hoist frame by bracket 3. Suitable shackles IE5 which may depend fr the journal bolts of the sheaves furnish ready means for engaging the demountable body.

as illustrated in Fig. 8, B indicates a demountable body adapted to be mounted on a suitable highway truck C. This body may be provided with sockets b in its floor frame, adapted to coact with projections c on the truck to prevent lateral displacement of the body when mounted. At its eaves the body is provided with hooks b', which 75 are adapted to be engaged by the depending shackles |45 of the floating frame |40.

It will be seen that when a truck having the body just described is driven into place beneath and approximately registering with the bridge and the cradle lowered, the shackles may be accurately presented to the hooks by operating motor No. 1 in one direction or the other to shift the two cables at that end relative to the other two.

It will be noticed that the lifting stresses on the cables 1I are carried directly to the dual hoist beam I2 and thence by the supporting wheels to the I-beam trackway I0 and Il without throwing any stresses on the bridge. The bridge merely supports the raising motor and its immediately driven mechanism and serves to keep the two dual hoists approximately opposite each other while allowing the slight weaving movement desired.

Any suitable arrangement of switches may be employed for controlling the two propelling motors, Nos. 1 and 2. Preferably, however, there is suitable means for controlling the two motors together for ordinary trolleying, and a separate control for motor No. 1 for use in weaving alone. I have illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 suitable means for this purpose in the form of a drum controller and an associated switch, but the electric connections may be made by means of push buttons or other form of switches, as desired.

Briefly, as illustrated in Fig. 10, the two motors, Nos. 1 and 2, have their armature circuits A and field circuits F terminating at a set of contact ngers G, which set also includes terminals of the main lines indicated by -iand On a rotatable barrel H are two rows of contact plates J and K, which are adapted to coact with the contact ngers and control the motors for ahead or reverse, as indicated, the barrel being given positions indicated by a suitable handle L, Fig. 9.

At some suitable point in the circuit of motor No. 2, the line is interrupted by conductors P, leading to a suitable switch Q, which may be controlled by a handle R, Fig. 9. The switch Q is closed when the handle R is at the on position; then the two motors may be operated as a unit in either direction by shifting the handle L from the off position to the ahead or reverse position, thus propelling the crane as a whole in either direction.

Whenever it is desired to eifect the Weaving operation, the handle R is turned to the off position, thus opening the switch Q, thereby disabling the connections to motor No. 2, and then the operation of the handle L controls only motor No. 1 to effect the weaving.

An overload circuit breaker may be placed in the circuit of motor No. 1, as indicated at S in Fig. 10, which would operate to open the circuit in case too much work was thrown on the motor. This would prevent injuring the motor if the circuit were kept on after the dual hoist on the track ID reached the limit of its movement in weaving and its further movement was unduly opposed by the bridge and other hoist.

It will be seen, from the description given, that I have provided a very effective hoisting mechanism adapted for raising a demountable body with its load under electric power or lowering such body onto a vehicle; while, without the necessity of any additional motor mechanism, I have provided weaving means to enable the ready registration of the lifting cables with a body which is not accurately positioned with reference to the crane trackway. The construction adapts itself for manufacture from standard structural members, standard motors, and standard driven parts of demonstrated automobile usage. 'I'he crane, being underslung from the supporting tracks, may be readily lowered to the ground for repair whenever occasion arises. Reference is made to my copending application 723,112, filed April 30, 1934 for claims covering the automobile axle housing and the vcable drum exterior to the housing but arranged to be driven by the shaft within the housing.

I claim:

1. The combination of two trolley hoists arranged side by side, each having a longitudinal frame, supporting wheels therefor adapted to ride on a trackway, a housing suspended by each frame on its underside, a driving axle within the housing, a sleeve rotatably mounted on the end portion of the housing and connected with the driving axle, a raising drum suspended by said frame independently of the housing and coupled to said sleeve, a bridge connected to the frames of the two hoists, power mechanism on the bridge, and driving connections from the power mechanisin to the axles within the housings of the two hoists.

2. In a hoisting mechanism, the combination of a longitudinal beam, standards rising therefrom, wheels carried by the standards adapted to rest on an overhead trackway whereby the beam is suspended, a housing suspended on the underside of the beam having a central enlargement with end extensions, sleeves rotatably mounted on the end portions of the extensions, driving axles within the housing connected to said sleeves, reduction gearing within the central enlargement of the housing leading from a driving shaft to said axles, a pair of cable drums each having independent shafts on which the drum is rigidly mounted, means for suspending each shaft from the beam in position beyond the corresponding sleeve, and means for coupling the sleeves with the drum shafts.

3. In a hoisting mechanism, the combination of a beam, standards rising therefrom, wheels on the standards adapted to rest on an overhead trackway and support the beam, a housing suspended on the underside of the beam, reduction gearing within the housing, aligned axles extending in opposite directions from the reduction gearing projecting beyond the ends of the housing, sleeves rotatably mounted on the housing adjacent its end and attached to the ends of the driving axles, cups extending across the driving axle ends and connected to said sleeves, two pairs of hangers suspended by the frame, shafts in lthe respective pairs beyond the lcups and aligned with the axles an-d coupled with the cups, and cable drums on said individual shafts.

4. The combination of a pair of dual hoists adapted to be mounted on parallel trackways, each hoist comprising a longitudinal beam, means for suspending it from the corresponding trackway below the same, a housing suspended from the beam, gearing within the housing, aligned axles within the housing driven by such gearing, sleeves rotatably mounted on the exterior of the housing connected with such axles, winding drums at the opposite ends of the housing connected with the sleeves, a transverse bridge connecting the two beams, a motor on the bridge, and mechanism connecting the motor with the driving members within the twol housings.

5. The combination of a pair of dual hoists adapted to be mounted on parallel trackways,

each hoist comprising a' longitudinal beam, means for suspending it from the corresponding trackway below the same, a housing suspended from the beam, gearing within the housing, aligned axles within the housing driven by such gearing, sleeves rotatably mounted on the exterior of the housing connected with such axles, winding drums at the opposite ends of the housing connected with the sleeves, a transverse bridge connecting the two beams, the connection with one of the beams allowing limited independent movement, a motor on the bridge, reduction gearing driven thereby, and shaft mechanism connecting the reduction gearing with the driving members within the two housings, the shaft connection to the housing which is movably connected to the bridge employing telescopic shafts and two universal joints.

6. The combination of two dual trolley hoists each comprising a beam, means for movably suspending it on an overhead trackway, trolleying mechanism and an electric motor on each beam adapted to operate the trolleying mechanism thereof, hoisting mechanism carried by each beam and having a pair of cable drums spaced apart and driving mechanism between the drums including a gear, a bridge connected with the two beams and comprising a pair of spaced beams suitably braced, a driving motor mounted on the bridge, driving mechanism leading from said motor to the said gears of the respective dual hoists, means rigidly connecting said bridge beams at one end to the frame of one of the hoists, a pair of wheels carried by the respective bridge beams at their other ends disposed in parallel vertical transverse planes on opposite sides of the bridge and on longitudinally opposite sides of the motor and the driving mechanism thereof, means to support said wheels secured to the other hoist frame, and means for controlling one of the trolleying motors independently of the other.

7. The combination of two independently movable trolley hoists arranged side by side, each having trolleying mechanism, separate electric motors for driving the trolleying mechanism of the respective hoists, a bridge connected with said hoists, the connection with at least one of the hoists allowing limited independent movement of that hoist with reference to the bridge, and means common to the separate motors for controlling both.

8. The combination of two trolley hoists, a pair of electric motors associated respectively with said hoists for trolleying them, a bridge rigidly connected with one of the hoists and having a rolling contact with the other hoist, allowing movement in the direction of travel of such hoists, and means located at a common point for controlling both motors.

9. The combination of two horizontally aligned, independently movable trolley hoists on spaced parallel tracks, two motors for operating the trolleying mechanism of the hoists respectively, and means operable selectively tc control both motors as a unit and one motor alone.

10. The combination of two dual trolley hoists mounted side by side on parallel tracks each having a pair of winding drums and driving mechanism therefor, a pair of electric motors associated with the respective hoists for trolleying the same, and means operable selectively to control the two motors as a unit and one of the motors alone.

11. In apparatus of the class described, two independently movable parallel spaced trolley hoists, each having raising mechanism, a substantially horizontally rigid bridge connected to the two hoists, the connection to one of the hoists comprising guide surfaces on said hoist longitudinally spaced from each other in the direction of relative movement of the hoists and correspondingly longitudinally spaced means on the bridge respectively bearing on said surfaces for movement therealong, and motor mechanism on said bridge located between the transverse planes of said means and drivingly connected to the raising mechanisms of the hoists.

l2. The combination of two trolley hoists side by side, each having its own frame, raising mechanism and trolleying mechanism, two electric motors mounted respectively on said frames in horizontal alignment with the respective raising mechanisms in the direction of trolleying of the hoists and connected with the trolleying mechanism thereof, a bridge connecting both hoists, and power mechanism centrally of the bridge longitudinally thereof connected drivingly with the raising mechanisms of the hoists.

13. The combination of two dual trolley hoists, each having a pair of cable drums and driving mechanism for rotating them as a unit, a bridge connected with the two hoists, the connection with at least one of the hoists allowing a limited independent movement between the bridge and that hoist, electric motor mechanism on the bridge connected with the driving mechanism of both hoists, individual trolleying mechanism for the respective hoists, a pair of electric motors located on the respective hoists for operating the trolleying mechanism thereof, and means arranged to selectively control both motors for concurrent operation and one of them independently of the other.

14. A trolley hoist comprising an overhead trackway, a beam beneath the trackway parallel thereto, a suspending rolling support therefor' engaging the trackway, an elongated housing carried by the beam beneath the same and parallel therewith, a driving axle within the housing, sleeves rotatably mounted on the end portions of the housing and connected with the driving axle, cable drums in substantial alignment with the sleeves, a driving connection between the cable drums and said sleeves, and means suspending the drums from the beams.

l5. The combination of two dual trolley hoists mounted side by side and each having own frame, cable drums and driving mechanism therefor on each frame, a bridge connected with the two hoist frames and comprising a pair of spaced beams with transverse beams connected to them, a driving motor mounted on the bridge, power-transmission mechanism leading from said motor to the driving mechanism of the respective dual hoists, means rigidly connecting said bridge beams at one end to the frame of one of the hoists, a pair of wheels carried by the spaced beams at their other ends disposed on opposite sides of the power transmission mechanism, and supports secured to the other hoist frame on which the wheels ride.

BENJAMIN F. FITCH. 

